The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-09-14
WEARY, WEARY WON EN-.
Words of Wisdom to American Wives WI
Are OvkrWorked.

"
Are Oysrworked.
Have you ever noticed, asks writer in
the American Cultiyator, while on the
street, how many women you pass with tired
weary expressions on their faces? They
may be laughing and talking pleasantly,
to all appearance as happy as anyone
could wish, but their sweetest smiles can
not conceal the weary, went-of.rest ex-
prtssions that are stamped upon their
features. These may, in some cases, be to
the demands of society, which quite fire.
quently are the causes of iIl-heaith, but
the msjority of them are housekeepers,
working housekeepers, many Of them
mothers Of large families. To all house
Keepers, but more particularly to the lat
ter class does this article refer.
1t is duty you owe to yourself and fam
lily to Tighten your housswork as much as
possible, so that your husband and child.
rem may not be called upon to mourn the
loss of wife and mother long before your
natural time. Every year there are many
women die from overwork, and most of
them from unnecessary work. To be sure,
this is not the disease set down as the cause
of death, on the certificate of the physi-
clan; there was probably pneumonia, ty-
phoid fever or some other kindred disease,
but could we get the opinion Of the attend
ing physicians, have no doubt that they
would say that we're not the constitutions
of many of these women debilitated by
overwork they would have been living to-
day. 1t is, / think, admitted by most
physicians that unless the constitution is
naturally weak, or weakened by excesses
the above diseases seldom prove fatal.
American women are not, as O rule, OF
as robust constitutions as those of other
countries Whether the women them
selves are to blame for this, or the climate
OF the country THAT, by the way, is made
to mother good many ills she had no
hand in making), it is hard to determine
but that the American women are not
strong is an established fact You, then,
knowing this, have no right to abuse your
constitution by excessive work where there
ie no necessity for 1t. Don't have white
clothes for the little ones to play in, but il
you do have them, make them plain.
Throw away all tucks and ruffies in every
day wear for yourself and children. Don't
wear ls ce or linen collars every day; they
are not worth the strength used in doing
them up, and If sent to the laundry wear
out in such little while that they do not
pay in the end. Use tourists ruffling for
every day.. 1t cannot be washed, but it is
very pretty, and when soiled can be thrown
away, and in the end be much cheaper
than collars that are washed every week.
Particularly is this ruffling suitable to
warm, sultry weather, as it retains its
snaps and is much coolor than linen col
lars, which are the most uncomfortable
kind of neckwesr for hot weather. With
the exception of few articles, don't iron
but very slightly the plain clothes. Only
the sheets for the spare bed need be lroned
all over. The rest may be pressed only at
top and bottom. The plain Undertaking
need get but slight ironing and If the
Family is large none at all. Some people
prefer to wear their underclothing rough
dry, claiming that 1t is healthier
The neatest and best housekeeper l
ever knew was an old lady who
would never have her clothing
iron pot or kettle when she could get tin
or some other light ware to answer the
same purposes. She claimed that though
the tin would wear out quicker than iron
yet in the end 1t was cheaper, for it saved
both time and strength. 1t saved time,
for when in hurry, whatever she wished
to cook could be done in one-half the
time than if iron was used, and it saved
strength, for in lifting from one part of
the stove to the other it required very
little exertion. Some may claim that the
tinware is not conducive to health, but,
however. If the tin is kept clean there is
very little danger to be feared on that
score.
Don't have heavy furniture, particularly
In your dining-room or kitchen, Light
furniture, both in color and weight, will
save great deal of unnecessary work.
Dark. colored furniture shows every speck
of dust that settles on it, and though there
would not be enough to harm any body yet
the least speck is an eye sore to the house
keeper, who must keep continually at
work to keep it clean. Light-colored fur
niture does not show dust in this
way, and is more preferable, and il OF
light weight the lifting of it is a very easy
matter. Get all the labor-saving articles
you can possibly affort. You will, very
likely, find some that are of little account,
but there are some that are excellent, and
it will be worth your experiment with the
others to find the article you want. Above
all things, don't cling to certain way of
doing things because your grandmother
did it that way, when you can ind an cas-
Ter way of doing it. Do you suppose your
respected ancestress would have done it
the way she did if she could have known
of an easier one? Certainly not. Remem-
Der the world moves, and you are expected
A. III -.